Leopold Figl
Minister of Foreign Affairs | |
|---|---|
| In office 26 November 1953 – 9 June 1959 | |
| Chancellor | Julius Raab |
| Preceded by | Karl Gruber |
| Succeeded by | Bruno Kreisky |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 2 October 1902 Rust, Michelhausen, Austria-Hungary |
| Died | 9 May 1965 (aged 62) Vienna, Austria |
| Political party | People's Party |
| Alma mater | Universität für Bodenkultur Wien |
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Leopold Figl (2 October 1902 – 9 May 1965) was an
youngest Federal Chancellor of Austria after the war before Sebastian Kurz
.
Life
Born a farmer's son in the
Bauernbund (Farmer's League) in 1931 and chairman in 1933. In 1930, Figl married Hilde Hemala (1906-1989) and had two children.[1][2]
After the
state
of Lower Austria.
After the
Vienna Offensive
.
After the defeat of the Nazis, the Allies occupied Austria at the end of World War II. The Soviet military commander, Fyodor Tolbukhin, asked Figl to manage the provision of food for the population of Vienna.[4] On 14 April 1945 he refounded the Bauernbund and integrated it into the Austrian People's Party (ÖVP), which was founded three days later. Figl was elected vice chair. On 27 April he became interim Governor of Lower Austria and vice-minister.
At the first free elections since 1930,
First Republic led him to continue the grand coalition between the People's Party, Socialists
and Communists. The coalition (from which the Communists were pushed out in 1947), remained in office until 1966 and did much to solve the serious economic and social problems left over from World War II.
After internal criticism, Figl resigned as Chancellor on 26 November 1953. His successor,
foreign minister. His appearance on the balcony of Belvedere Palace waving the signed paper and speaking the words Österreich ist frei! ("Austria is free!"), as rendered by the Deutsche Wochenschau newsreel, has become an icon in the Austrian national remembrance
. (The words were actually spoken before, inside the Palace, but the pictures on the balcony were underlain with the sound track made inside.)
At the
state
.
Figl was patron of the
Pfadfinder Österreichs between 1960 and 1964 and president of this Scout association from 1964 until his death.[6]
He died from
Zentralfriedhof. His son Johannes was International Commissioner of the Pfadfinder Österreichs[7][8] and president of the Pfadfinder und Pfadfinderinnen Österreichs from 1994 to 2000.[6]
Beatification
In December 2020, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Sankt Pölten opened his cause for beatification. He currently holds the title "Servant of God".[9][10]
Honours and awards
- Grand Cross of the Order of Pius IX
- Honorary Ring of Lower Austria (1952)
- Grand Gold Decoration with Sash of the Order for Services to the Republic of Austria (1954)[11]
- Golden Commander's Cross with the Star of Honour for Services to the Province of Lower Austria
Various locations have been named for Figl:
- Leopold Figl Museum in Michelhausen in Tulln, Lower Austria
- Leopold Figl observatory on the Schöpfl (mountain in the northern Vienna Woodsoverlooking the Tullnerfeld, Figl's home region)
- Leopold Figl observatory on Tulbinger Kogel in Lower Austria (ditto)
- Leopold Figl court: Vienna 1, District, Franz-Josef-Kai 31-33 (Home, 1963–1967)
- Leopold Figl Lane: Vienna 1, District (next to the historic Lower Austrian House)
- Monument: Vienna 1, District Minoritenplatz (bust, 1973, between Villa and the Federal Chancellery)
- Plaques: Vienna 1, District Schenkenstraße 2 (Home, 1928–1932) and Plaque: Vienna 3, District Kundmanngasse 24 (Home, 1937–1946)
References
- ^ "Who was who in America". 1961.
- ^ "Figl, Leopold".
- ^ Parlamentskorrespondenz Nr. 666 vom 2. Oktober 2002 / www.parlament.gv.at: : Feierstunde zum 100. Geburtstag von Leopold Figl im Parlament
- ^ Gerhard Jelinek: Reden, die die Welt veränderten
- ^ "Präsidentinnen und Präsidenten seit 1920 | Parlament Österreich". www.parlament.gv.at.
- ^ a b Pribich, Kurt (2004). Logbuch der Pfadfinderverbände in Österreich (in German). Vienna: Pfadfinder-Gilde-Österreichs. p. 277.
- ^ Philipp Lehar (2009). "Pfadfinderarbeit als Beitrag zur Integration?". PPÖ-Brief (in German). 2/2009. Pfadfinder und Pfadfinderinnen Österreichs: 11.
- ^ Pribich, Kurt (2004). Logbuch der Pfadfinderverbände in Österreich (in German). Vienna: Pfadfinder-Gilde-Österreichs. p. 191.
- ^ "Beatification for Leopold Figl is to be initiated". DE24 News. 22 December 2020. Retrieved 24 January 2021.
- ^ "1965". Hagiography Circle. Retrieved 24 January 2021.
- ^ "Questions to the Chancellor" (PDF). Austrian Parliament. 2012. p. 5. Retrieved 30 September 2012.
External links
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